Hammers keeping tabs on Besiktas star

  • by Staff Writer
  • Wednesday, 19th April 2017

West Ham are one of FIFTEEN clubs said to have dispatched scouts to watch tomorrow's Europa League tie between Besiktas and Lyon.

And they'll all be there to watch Turkish international midfielder Oguzhan Ozyakup, who has been enjoying an excellent season in the Super Lig with the Black Eagles.




First linked with a move to West Ham back in 2015, when former Besiktas boss Slaven Bilic expressed interest in bringing both Ozyakup and team mate Gokhan Tore to England, the 24-year-old been has on the radar of several of Europe's top clubs.

And along with West Ham, scouts from clubs such as Atletico Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Wolfsburg, Everton, Southampton and Anderlecht are expected to descend upon Istanbul's Vodafone Arena on Thursday evening to watch Besiktas attempt to turn around a 2-1 deficit from the first leg.




The Dutch-born Ozyakup started life at AZ Alkmaar's Academy before joining Arsenal's youth set-up in 2008 where he remained for four years, making just two first team appearances, before joining Besiktas.

Although he was already firmly established at Besiktas before Bilic became general manager in 2013, Ozyakup became a firm favourite of the Croatian manager's - who he subsequently referred to as "Turkey's most talented footballer" in an interview last year.

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